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The Medlin News
MARCH 2026
Staying Positive When the Stakes Rise THE POWER OF OPTIMISM
March feels like a turning point every year. We are past the holidays, the new year is no longer brand-new, and people start to settle into whatever the year is really going to look like. It is also recognized as National Optimism Month, which I like because I have always believed that what you expect from life shapes what you see and how you act. I consider myself an optimist. That doesn’t mean life has always been easy or that I have never had times when it was hard to stay positive. It means I keep coming back to the idea that good outcomes are possible. I think optimism works on both the conscious and subconscious levels. When you believe a good result is possible, you are more likely to notice opportunities and options instead of taking yourself out of them. It is a little like luck being the combination of preparation and opportunity. Optimism helps you see the opportunity and keep preparing.
Some of that mindset comes from my parents. They grew up during the Great Depression and then lived long enough to see the middle class expand and times improve. They knew what it felt like to live through scarcity, but they also held on to the belief that things could get better. Watching that as a kid left an impression on me. It showed me that optimism isn’t pretending everything is fine. It is deciding to look for the better side of a situation and being willing to work toward it, even when you are discouraged. In my work, optimism has to sit next to reality. I don’t tell people everything will be fine or make promises I can’t keep. What I can do is look at what they are facing and draw on years of handling similar cases. In most situations, there is room to improve where things stand, and I try to explain that clearly. Some matters may look almost impossible at the start. The facts are bad, the history is long, and the stakes are high. Even then, the law gives us important protection. The government has to prove its case. Every person who sits across from me is presumed innocent. Sometimes, that is the starting point while we dig through reports, statements, and other details that might give a jury a reason to doubt the story they have been handed.
On a personal level, I handle rough patches by forcing myself to look forward instead of staying stuck on what went wrong. I picture what a better outcome might look like and then make a short list of steps that move in that direction. It may be a phone call, a motion that needs to be filed, or a meeting with a client. Once I start acting on that list, it is easier to feel hopeful again. Looking ahead, I feel good about the team we have at the firm and the cases we are working on this year. We have plenty to be optimistic about, but optimism doesn’t erase the hard parts of criminal defense. What it does do is keep me moving, preparing, and looking for the angle that helps turn a client’s bad day into a better future.
“Optimism isn’t pretending everything is fine. It is deciding to look for the better side of a situation and being willing to work toward it, even when you are discouraged.”
– Gary L. Medlin, Esq.
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RECORD-BREAKING CAVE DISCOVERY STUNS SCIENTISTS 110,000 SPIDERS, 1 GIANT WEB
Imagine rounding a corner while exploring a cave and encountering a spider web the size of a two-bedroom apartment! That is what happened to a group of Czech spelunkers in 2022, who came upon what is likely the largest spider web in the world. The giant colony spans a 1,076-square-foot area along the wall of Sulfur Cave, an underground cavern with its entrance in Greece, and its subterranean section stretching into Albania. This remarkable spider colony is home to an estimated 110,000 spiders. The colony survived and thrived in part because of abundant food inside the cave, including a large population of flies swarming around the cave entrance, according to a study published
in the scientific journal Subterranean Biology. Researchers also found the cave spiders were genetically distinct from their relatives on the land’s surface, suggesting that generations of spiders had never left the cave. Called Sulfur Cave for its sulfurous-smelling waters, the cave is a subterranean network of large rooms, passages, and smaller caverns, with the giant spider web in a low-ceilinged, permanently dark area of the cave. The Sulfur Cave colony is also believed to be the first known stable, cooperative underground spider colony that includes more than one species that normally don’t live together, including an estimated 69,000 Tegenaria domestica spiders, a common house
spider found all over the world, and about 42,000 members of a smaller species called Prinerigoni vagan. The larger domestic spiders may have refrained from dining on their smaller webmates, P. vagans, because the lack of light inside the cave made it hard to see them, according to the study. Additionally, P. vagans tend to remain relatively still when hunting for food, making them less conspicuous.
The spiders built the colonial web by joining together many individual funnel-shaped webs.
Its inhabitants are described as “cosmopolitan spiders” by scientists for their willingness to cohabit with other species. Cosmopolitan or not, Sulfur Cave is clearly no place for an arachnophobe!
A SECOND CHANCE WITH STRINGS ATTACHED Deferred Adjudication in Texas
A lot of people who come to us have heard the phrase “deferred adjudication,” but they aren’t sure what it really means. Some think it wipes the slate clean. Others see it as just another word for probation. In Texas, it is something in between. It can protect you from conviction, but it also comes with serious strings attached. With deferred adjudication, you usually plead guilty or no contest, and the judge accepts your plea. Instead of finding you guilty, the judge
agrees to “defer” that decision and places you on community supervision for a set period of time. If you successfully complete that supervision, the judge does not enter a conviction on that charge. That is very different from regular probation after a conviction, where the guilty finding is already on your record. Deferred adjudication is not a free pass. You will have conditions to follow. Those often include reporting to a supervision officer, paying court costs and supervision fees, completing community service, taking classes that fit the charge, and avoiding new arrests. Courts can also order drug and alcohol testing and other tailored conditions. If you don’t follow the rules, the prosecutor can file a motion to adjudicate, and the judge can then find you guilty and sentence you anywhere within the normal punishment range.
Even when the case goes well, it doesn’t simply disappear. The arrest and the deferred adjudication still show up on your criminal history and most background checks. Some people are later eligible to ask the court for an order of nondisclosure, which can seal the record from most public inquiries. But that process is separate, and it does not apply to every offense. For many clients, deferred adjudication is a helpful option, especially when the evidence is strong and the risk of conviction at trial is high. In other situations, it may be better to fight the charges or look for a different type of agreement. Before you accept deferred adjudication, you should understand exactly what you are agreeing to and how it will affect your future. An experienced criminal defense attorney can walk you through your choices and help you decide if it truly gives you the second chance you are looking for.
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LIFE AFTER A BOND RELEASE Staying Free While Your Case Proceeds
Being arrested in Texas is stressful enough on its own. On top of that, once you bond out, you are often handed a list of rules that can feel confusing or overwhelming. Those are your bond conditions, and they matter. Following them closely can keep you out of more trouble and protect your case as it moves through the system. Bond is what allows you to stay out of jail while your case is pending. The court can release you on a surety bond, cash bond, or, in some cases, a personal bond, but almost every release comes with conditions. Those typically include showing up for every court date, staying in touch with your attorney, and notifying the court if your address or phone number changes. Many people overlook that last one, but it is important because the court needs a way to reach you.
Depending on the charge, judges can also add very specific rules. In a DWI case, that might mean an ignition interlock device, no alcohol, or no going to bars. In an assault case, there may be a no- contact order. Drug cases often involve testing, treatment, or a requirement to stay away from certain people or places. In some situations, you can also be ordered to check in with a pretrial services officer, follow a curfew, or wear a GPS monitor. Violating any of your bond conditions can worsen your situation in a hurry. A judge can revoke your bond, put out a warrant for your arrest, and order you back into custody until your case is resolved. It can also affect a prosecutor’s willingness to negotiate a plea deal and make things worse for you overall. The best thing to do is treat bond conditions as a non-negotiable part of life while your case is open and simply do what you’ve been asked to do. If you are confused about a condition or feel something is unreasonable, talk with an attorney. Your lawyer may be able to ask the court to fine-tune or change certain things in the right circumstances. But you should follow the order until that happens. Sticking to your bond conditions keeps you at home, working, and gives your defense team a better chance to achieve a good result for your case.
Spinach Artichoke Pizza This deep-dish pizza recipe is fancy and easy to make, delivering all the flavor of a cheesy spinach-artichoke dip in a baked-pizza form!
Ingredients • 1 loaf frozen bread dough • 2 tbsp garlic herb spreadable cheese • 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1/2 cup shredded Gruyere cheese • 7 oz artichoke hearts, chopped • Several handfuls of fresh spinach • Pepper, to taste
Directions 1. Thaw dough according to package directions and let it rise for 2 hours. 2. Preheat oven to 450 F. 3. Coat a 10-inch cast-iron skillet with non-stick spray, then gently stretch dough to fit. 4. Spread garlic herb cheese evenly across the entire dough layer. 5. Sprinkle mozzarella and Gruyere cheeses evenly over dough, reserving a small amount of each. 6. For the topping, scatter chopped artichoke hearts, followed by a layer of torn spinach leaves, and then the reserved cheeses. Add black pepper to taste. 7. Bake for 15–18 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and crisp.
For resources, practice areas, and more, scan the QR code to visit our website, MedlinFirm.com
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Inspired by BlueBowlRecipes.com
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE 1. A Realistic Way to Stay Hopeful
2. Scientists Discover the World’s Largest Web … Home to 110,000 Spiders!
A Texas Plea That Avoids Conviction
3. Understanding Bond Conditions in Texas
Spinach Artichoke Pizza
4. Rescue Dog Serves as a Lifeline to Traumatized Children
From Homeless Mutt to Hero A FORMER STRAY HELPING OTHERS HEAL
Just three years ago, law enforcement officers in Brevard County, Florida, picked up a scruffy stray dog with bad skin allergies who was wandering the streets. Seeing potential in the mutt, they enrolled him in a training program for therapy and comfort dogs. In a remarkable transformation, the former stray was recently named a national “hero dog” for comforting dozens of elementary school students after a mass shooting at Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee. Guided by his handler, Faye Okert, Sgt. Bo offered snuggles, warmth, and emotional support to children traumatized by the tragedy. “When he walks into a room, he knows who needs his help,” Okert says. “They instantly feel safe and comforted.” Sgt. Bo seemed destined for a shelter for homeless pets in 2022 when the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office enrolled him in their Paws and Stripes College, a program that trains carefully selected homeless dogs to be therapy and comfort companions. After learning about the program, Okert, an officer at the time with the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, contacted the College to adopt a graduate of the program.
afraid people would make fun of him. She traveled to Florida, planning to ask for a different dog. But after watching Sgt. Bo in training and meeting him face-to-face, she realized she had found the right one. She describes Sgt. Bo as “an old soul in a young dog’s body” who enjoys helping humans in distress. One of Sgt. Bo’s early assignments was to comfort Covenant School’s surviving students as they were reunited with their parents after the 2023 shooting, which claimed the lives of three children, three adults, and the shooter, a former student. Sgt. Bo was selected by the American Humane Society as America’s 2025 Hero Dog for his service to the kids of Nashville, beating out four impressive canine runners-up. Hundreds of dogs are nominated every year for the award, and the public then votes on five semifinalists. Calling Sgt. Bo’s story “inspiring,” Humane Society President Dr. Robin Ganzert said, “This scruffy superstar embodies everything the American Humane Society looks for in a dog: service, resiliency, and love.” His work, she added, “is a beautiful testament to the healing power of the human- animal bond.”
After seeing Sgt. Bo’s photo, however, Okert almost passed him up. He was battling skin allergies at the time and looked so scruffy that Okert was
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